


Adagio Con Amore (Softly, With Tenderness)

by frantic65



Series: Prelude to Love [3]
Category: Brokeback Mountain (2005)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-23
Updated: 2014-05-23
Packaged: 2018-01-26 05:08:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1675841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/frantic65/pseuds/frantic65
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ennis and Jack need to reevaluate a few things several years into their relationship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Adagio Con Amore (Softly, With Tenderness)

_Slow down you crazy child. You're so ambitious for a juvenile. But then if you're so smart tell me why are you still so afraid? Where's the fire, what's the hurry about? You better cool it off before you burn it out. You got so much to do and only so many hours in a day._

_You've got your passion, you've got your pride but don't you know that only fools are satisfied? Dream on, but don't imagine they'll all come true When will you realize, Vienna waits for you?_

_~Vienna~ by Billy Joel_

Ennis tossed the fare at the taxi driver and sprinted to the emergency room entrance of City Hospital. He slid to a stop as the automatic doors opened, realizing that arriving at the information desk panting and red-faced would only start him off on the wrong foot in a situation that would need careful handling.

He took a deep, calming breath that did nothing to sooth his anxiety, but after years of dealing with prima-donna musicians, he schooled his demeanor to reflect that of an attractive, well-dressed, professional man, regardless of what was percolating just under the surface. 

He had just finished giving a speech at one of the many charity functions he was obligated to attend as the conductor of the New York Philharmonic, when he saw his personal assistant in the back of the ballroom desperately trying to get his attention without appearing too obvious. 

He quickly worked his way through the crowd of wealthy orchestra patrons, shaking hands and nodding at their well-meaning but usually hideous suggestions for next season’s concert series, finally arriving at Felicia’s side with a smile. 

He quirked a questioning eyebrow in her direction when she commandeered his elbow and practically pulled him from the room, not pausing until she had him in a secluded alcove that hid them from curious eyes. 

“What’s wrong?” he immediately asked, noticing that her face looked paler than usual, and the fingers still gripping his elbow shook slightly. “Felicia?” He pulled her in front of him when she didn’t immediately answer him. She really needed to start talking; he was starting to imagine the worst. 

“It’s Jack.” She whispered the words through trembling lips, her eyes suddenly overly bright with unshed tears. “He’s been rushed to the hospital. It doesn’t sound good, Ennis.” 

Ennis stared at her for a moment, mouth open to respond, before he immediately snapped it shut again, running his suddenly shaking hands through his carefully styled hair. 

“Where is he, Felicia? Book me on the next fucking flight out of here, and give me a few more details.” He began to move away from her, heading toward the exit, assuming she would be right on his heels. He paused and looked behind him when he realized she wasn’t following. He felt an icy stab of fear slash through his chest at the expression on her face. He turned around and slowly walked back to her side, feeling as though he aged ten years with every step. “He’s not---?” He couldn’t even move his lips as he asked the question, needing to know yet dreading the answer. She seemed to pull herself together suddenly, realizing the mental leap her friend and employer had just made due to her hesitation. 

“God! No, Ennis…no…he’s not de--,” she placed a hand alongside his tense jaw, and gave him a watery smile. “I don’t have a lot of information, but I do know that he apparently collapsed, and they were having trouble reviving him.” 

“Reviving?” Ennis seemed to only be able to put the most negative connotations behind possibly innocent words at the moment, so Felicia sat him down in the plush armchair that was directly behind him, and kneeled by his side. 

“Listen to me, Ennis. I’m making a mess of this, but try to focus for a moment.” She smiled in encouragement as he grabbed her hands and nodded once. “Jack was doing a publicity meet and greet when he apparently complained of feeling light-headed. Jonas started to get him out of the crowded press room, and into a quiet area of the hotel, but on the way Jack passed out. Jonas panicked because Jack hit his head hard on the floor when he went down, and then wasn’t responding when they tried to revive him, so Jonas called 911 for an ambulance.” 

Somehow the details weren’t doing much for Ennis’s state of mind. He was glad Jack’s agent had been with him, but time was wasting while he was acting like an idiot. “Get me to where he is, Felicia. I don’t care what it takes; just get me to his side as soon as you can.” 

“Well, that’s actually the only good news I have for you.” Felicia stood up and smoothed her skirt, as Ennis got up and started heading for the exit again. “He’s here in New York.” 

“What?” Ennis stopped dead in his tracks and she pulled up short to avoid crashing into his back. 

“He’s here.” Felicia repeated, biting her lip at the play of emotions crossing Ennis’s face. “They took him to City Hospital; you’re just a cab ride away.” 

After that, Ennis pretty much tuned out anything else Felicia had to say to him. He stopped only to give her a quick hug as the concierge opened the taxicab door for him and wished him a pleasant evening. The irony of the trappings of polite society in the face of the panic Ennis was reeling from at the moment was not lost to him. 

First on his mind, was fear for the life of a man whom he had grown to consider his undeclared partner, circumstances that always seemed to be aimed at keeping them apart be damned. Jack had barreled into his lonely life two years ago. Apparently they were two souls on a seemingly parallel course that had somehow intersected briefly, before going their separate ways without being able to act on their mutual fascination with each other. 

Another unexpected meeting in a Parisian nightclub had led to a long overdue consummation of their unrealized love affair, resulting in rare, stolen weekends in hotels when they happened to be in the same part of the universe, and even rarer quiet, yet intense times spent in Ennis’s Manhattan apartment. 

They liked to joke that they were as star-crossed as any lovers in a Shakespearian tragedy, hold the tragedy, but at the moment, Ennis was not finding that to be an amusing comparison; not by a long shot. 

Now, as he was impatiently waiting for the ER receptionist to give him her attention, he couldn’t help but wonder why Jack had been in New York for some sort of publicity junket, yet he hadn’t let Ennis know. They weren’t married, for Christ’s sake, but Ennis had thought they were close enough to always meet up when they could, especially if Jack was in Ennis’s own backyard. 

When he finally spoke to the receptionist he was anticipating a fight just to get information about Jack’s condition, much less actually managing to be taken to his side without getting Jack’s agent, Jonas involved. But, to his surprise, he was waved over to the double doors that would bring him into the treatment rooms with no hassle at all after he gave his name. 

Walking through the hospital hallway, he bit at his thumbnail nervously, uncomfortable with the controlled chaos that surrounded him, the medical personnel passing him by seemingly calm but definitely moving with purpose. 

He felt a twinge of relief when he saw Jonas poke his head out in the hallway, rushing out into the corridor as soon as he spotted Ennis. 

“Ennis! That was quick. I had your itinerary, but I wasn’t sure when you were giving your speech. I told Felicia not to bother you until you were done.” Jonas grabbed his hand and pressed his shoulder against Ennis’s in his typical greeting. Jack always joked that it was a “Hollywood Hello”, which always prompted Ennis to follow up with his own, R-rated version, the “Wyoming Welcome”. 

At the moment however, Ennis wasn’t feeling very friendly toward the man. “What the hell do you mean, you told her not to bother me? What makes you think you had the right to make that decision for me? How the fuck long has he been here, Jonas?” 

Jonas flushed slightly, and quickly stepped back, as though worried that Ennis’s now clenched fists might suddenly fly up and connect with his jaw. Ennis may be a famous conductor in the very high brow world of classical music, but he was also known to have a nasty temper when provoked; a temper that Jonas had witnessed first-hand on more than one occasion, but never aimed at him. 

“Ennis, he’s only been here about an hour, I swear. And they’ve had him down in the MRI wing now for at least half of that time. They’re giving him every test they can think of, Ennis. Please, believe me, I wouldn’t let him get anything but the best treatment.” Jonas stared him dead in the eyes, and Ennis relaxed slightly at the genuine concern he saw in the other man’s expression. 

“I know, Jonas. You’ve been a good friend to Jack, and I appreciate that since I can’t be with him. But, since you mentioned itineraries,” Ennis’s features darkened again, and Jonas flinched since he knew what was coming next. “Whose idea was it that my itinerary wasn’t updated to reflect an unexpected side trip to New York? All it would take is thirty seconds to send me a text or e-mail to let me know about the change of plans.” 

“Jack has been crazy busy, Ennis…you know that.” Jonas shifted his eyes away and suddenly seemed to find the exit sign behind Ennis’s head to be of extreme interest. “He’s been touring non-stop and really chomping at the bit to start working on the new CD, so when some studio time became free here, he decided to jump at the chance to get a head-start. Then, while he was here, he figured why not make a few appearances and take advantage of the opportunity to generate some additional publicity?” 

“So, since it was an unplanned stop, and he obviously didn’t schedule time into his visit here to take a piss, there was no reason to let me know?” Ennis rubbed his forehead wearily, and shook his head at Jonas. “Never mind, don’t answer that. It’s between Jack and me, and I’ll be sure to bring it up, after I know he’s going to be okay.” He shot a sharp glance at Jonas. “He is going to be alright, isn’t he?” 

Jonas opened his mouth to speak, but before he could answer, Jack finally made his appearance, being slowly wheeled toward them on a gurney. His eyes were closed and his skin was so pale Ennis imagined he could see the network of veins that traveled beneath. He waited while the attendants settled him onto the examination room bed, before immediately going to his side and gently picking up one limp and lifeless hand. He bent his head until his mouth was almost touching Jack’s ear and whispered his name quietly, moving up to press his lips to Jack’s temple, before stepping back and taking a good look at his unconscious lover. 

He felt a small wave of relief that there were no outward signs of injury to Jack’s face or head, but he frowned when his eyes reached the IV drip that was hanging beside the bed, and the tubing that hooked Jack into whatever fluids had been deemed necessary by the ER doctor. 

He glanced at Jonas who was hovering on the other side of the bed, and asked, “Have you spoken to the doctor yet?” 

“Just very briefly, when we first arrived. I gave him whatever details I could, and then gave them permission to proceed with the CT Scan, EEG and head x-rays. It all happened so quickly, Ennis. I swear if he had told me he wasn’t feeling right this morning I would have forced him to cancel his interviews and insisted he take it easy today.” 

“And he wouldn’t have listened because he’s twenty-three and thinks that he is fucking invincible, and needs to conquer the other half of the music-loving world before the age of twenty-five.” He looked down at Jack’s peaceful countenance and brushed the hair from his forehead with a careful hand. “It’s not your fault, Jonas. Jack can be a force of nature when he’s focused on achieving a goal.” 

They both were silent then. Each of them lost in their thoughts, and worried about the man who was lying so uncharacteristically still between them. Ennis started a little as a doctor stepped into the room, and strode confidently over to the bed, greeting Jonas with a nod that indicated they had previously met and holding out a hand to Ennis. 

“Hello, I’m Dr. Nichols.” He shook Ennis’s hand firmly, and cocked an eyebrow at him in question. 

“Hello, Doctor. I’m Ennis Del Mar. What can you tell me about what’s wrong with my partner?” Although almost ready to scream from frustration by this point, Ennis showed no outward sign of his internal stress, knowing that he needed to take control now and make sure Jack got whatever help he needed, quickly and from the best medical professionals available. 

“Well, Mr. Del Mar, let me first tell you that although we usually require a patient’s permission to discuss their condition with anyone other than a spouse or next of kin, Mr. Twist did list you as the person to contact in an emergency, and since he can’t give us any formal permission until he regains consciousness, for now I’m treating that as though you were his Power of Attorney or Domestic Partner.” 

“Thank you, Doctor. Now, what can you tell me?” Ennis’s patience was officially at its limit. 

“We are presently treating Mr. Twist’s symptoms of extreme dehydration more than likely brought on by severe exhaustion. All of the tests we have run have come back negative for any internal bleeding or neurological abnormalities, the main concern after Mr. Twist’s collapse.” Dr. Nichols inclined his head toward Jack, and Ennis felt his anxiety dial back a notch at the other man’s words. 

“So, why is he still unconscious?” Ennis bit his lip in concern and softly caressed Jack’s pale cheek. 

“There’s really no medical reason that we can see, Mr. Del Mar. Sometimes, in the case of exhaustion, the body just needs time to start the recovery process. There’s no logic to it, and no miracle drug that will speed things up. I am cautiously optimistic that Mr. Twist will regain consciousness very soon.” 

They spoke quietly for a few more minutes before the doctor left, advising Ennis to let someone know immediately if it appeared that Jack was waking up. 

Ennis cut Jonas loose soon after, knowing that the other man had a girlfriend based in New York that would probably be eager to spend time with him. 

“There will be some changes made as a result of this, Jonas. I want to make that clear right now.” Ennis warned him seriously. “He’s not a child that needs a babysitter, but he obviously needs to learn his limits. And you,” he gestured in Jonas’s general direction, “will need to make sure he doesn’t push himself past them again. I can’t lose him, and seeing him like this is ripping my fucking heart out.” 

Jonas put a hand on Ennis’s shoulder and squeezed, before quietly agreeing with what Ennis was saying, and promising to come back to the hospital in the morning. “Let me know when he wakes up though; no matter what time it is. I love him too, Ennis, as stubborn and infuriating as he can be, he’s my friend as well as my client.” 

After Jonas left the room, Ennis reached behind him and pulled up the hideous lime green chair that appeared to be the only seat available to him. He entwined his fingers with Jack’s, and let out a deep sigh. He suddenly felt exhausted himself, the stress of the day finally starting to catch up with him. He was still anxious about Jack, and knew he wouldn’t truly be able to relax until he’d seen those blue eyes open and aware, but for now, he closed his eyes and got as comfortable as the piece of shit chair would let him. 

His thoughts drifted back to the last time he and Jack had been together. It had been three…no…almost four weeks ago, and Ennis had been attending a series of seminars in Munich. Jack had been in the middle of his European Tour, with a long stopover in Austria for a series of concerts celebrating the **Music of the Masters** , with appearances scheduled for Salzburg, Graz, Linz, and finally, Vienna. 

_Ennis’s seminars wrapped up earlier than expected, so he arranged to take a few extra days before heading back to New York to spend some time with Jack._

He arrived in Vienna in the evening, a full day earlier than expected. It was too late to attend Jack’s concert, so he headed straight for the hotel that Jack was staying at. He knew that Ennis was coming, but not that he would be there sooner than planned. 

Ennis was shown to Jack’s suite by a bellhop, and he was unpacked and just exiting the shower when he heard the click of the front door’s lock release. He finished drying himself off, and walked naked into the bedroom, cock already half-hard at the thought of seeing Jack again. 

He lay down on the bed and spread himself out seductively, knowing that Jack would spy the Viennese pastries that Ennis had ordered from room service as soon as he walked in the door. 

“Now, isn’t that a sight for sore eyes?” Ennis shivered as Jack stepped through the doorway, his breath almost catching in his chest at the sight of his lover in his very expensive Armani concert tux, which he was slowly unbuttoning as he walked across the room toward Ennis, eyes burning with a hunger that made Ennis feel like he just might be dinner. “You’re here early…what a nice surprise.” He reached the foot of the bed and knelt on it, crawling toward Ennis, whose breath was now coming in excited little puffs of air as the fully dressed Jack finally reached him. 

Jack pushed Ennis down flat onto his back, and straddled his waist, knees on either side, pressing lightly into Ennis’s hips. Jack leaned in to give him a slow welcoming kiss, which had Ennis sliding his hands through Jack’s soft, dark hair, and moaning a greeting into Jack’s firm, full lips. 

Jack’s hands traveled the length of Ennis’s body, ghosting their way from chest to stomach, before glancing teasingly over the tip of his very excited cock. Ennis pushed his hands into the neck of Jack’s shirt, caressing the warm, smooth skin underneath, sliding his fingers lower until he felt the hardening nubs of Jack’s nipples responding to his touch. 

Jack removed his jacket and quickly unbuttoned his shirt, letting Ennis’s impatient hands slide it from his shoulders to be discarded carelessly onto the floor. Ennis pulled Jack’s naked torso firmly on top of him, needing the full body contact that he had been craving for so long to ground him after their long, lonely weeks apart. 

Jack’s hands were restless and he pulled himself up to speedily shuck the rest of his formal wear, before grinding his own cock, glistening with pre-come, eagerly against Ennis’s equally slick dick. 

“God, I missed you!” Jack’s sexy voice whispered in his ear, his mouth sucking its way gently down the side of Ennis’s neck. “I can’t believe you’re finally here.” 

Ennis smiled at Jack’s words and arched his neck, granting him access to every inch of the sensitive skin that Jack then hungrily proceeded to mark and claim as his own. They were lost together in a world that contained only each other, lips and hands searching and caressing, the level of passion rising even as the touches became more intimate and less desperate. 

With only one shared silent look, Ennis grabbed a condom from the side table and slid it gently over Jack’s hard cock, smoothing it down in a slow stroking motion that had Jack moaning and grabbing at Ennis’s wrist as the friction became almost more than he could handle. 

Ennis’s amused chuckle was cut short as two lube-slickened fingers circled his hole, before first one, then the second worked their way steadily inside of him, drawing a grunt and a relieved sigh from deep within his chest. It had been far too long since he had been fucked by Jack, and until the moment he felt Jack’s cock pressing firmly inside of him, he hadn’t truly realized just how much he had missed their joining. 

When Jack’s balls were finally pressing against his ass, and his arms were cradling the back of Ennis’s neck, Jack began to thrust in a very deliberate, very sensual rhythm. Ennis pushed his hips forward, matching the speed of Jack’s movements as they settled into a relaxed and satisfying fuck. 

They continued at this subdued pace for some time, until the tension in both of their bodies reached a climax, and they both tumbled together into a satisfying and sensuous release. 

Later, they remained tangled together, with Jack’s head comfortably resting on Ennis’s chest, and Ennis’s hand sliding lazily through Jack’s hair. 

“You know, you look a little tired, Jack. Maybe you could clear a few days next month and fly into New York, before the Fall Concert Season starts up.” Jack stiffened slightly at Ennis’s words, but he remained in Ennis’s arms. 

“That’s easier said than done, Ennis. I have concerts booked six months in advance, and I need to see about finding studio time for my next CD.” Jack sounded defensive and Ennis felt his eyebrows rise at Jack’s challenging tone. 

“Jack, it was only a suggestion. I just don’t want you to burn yourself out.” He soothingly slid his hand from Jack’s hair down to grip his elbow, pulling him more tightly to his side. “You can afford to take a few days off for yourself. If you’d like I can talk to Jonas about your schedule.” 

“No!” Jack spoke sharply and abruptly stood up, going to stand naked in front of the large window that looked down into the valley below. “I don’t need you to interfere in my schedule.” Ennis blinked at Jack’s adamant refusal, and rose to his knees with his arms outstretched. 

“It was only a suggestion. I’m sorry. It’s your career and you should pursue it in whatever way makes you happy. I just want to make sure you know that everyone needs some downtime now and again, and I’d love it if you’d spend that time with me.” Ennis patted the mattress next to him invitingly. “Come back to bed. We could both use some sleep, and I know I always sleep better when you’re next to me.” 

Jack worried his bottom lip for a moment, and then moved toward the bed with a smile, bending over to press his lips against Ennis’s before sliding in next to him under the sheets. “No, I’m sorry. I’m just a little on edge, I guess.”

Thinking back on that night now, Ennis wondered how he could have been such an idiot to ignore all the warning signs indicating that Jack was pushing himself too hard. A sudden moan from the bed captured his attention, and he leaned forward, feeling the fingers wrapped around his squeeze him weakly. 

“Ennis?” Jack’s blue eyes were staring at him in confusion, weariness etched on his face now that he was no longer at rest. “I don’t understand. How did you know I was in town?” 

Ennis grimly pushed that question to the side since it only raised more questions for him; like why did Jack try to keep his visit a secret from Ennis in the first place? But there would be time for answers when Jack was well on the road to recovery. 

“Jack, how are you feeling? Are you in pain? Shit, let me get the doctor!” Ennis moved to pull away from Jack to go get help, but he was kept in place by a surprisingly strong tug on his hand. 

“Wait. I remember feeling dizzy and walking with Jonas back toward my hotel room….and then nothing.” Jack frowned as he searched his memory. 

“You passed out and no one could bring you around, so you wound up here in the hospital.” Ennis sat back down and pressed a kiss to Jack’s cheek. 

“Jonas called you?” Ennis nodded, and Jack frowned again. “I’m sorry for frightening you.” They stared into each other’s eyes solemnly for a few minutes, before Jack blinked. “What’s wrong with me?” 

“It’s called exhaustion, Jack, severe exhaustion and dehydration to be completely accurate. It comes from pushing yourself harder than your body can handle.” Ennis tried to keep the scolding tone in his voice under control, but by the angry flush on Jack’s face, he knew he must not have been too successful. 

“Is that all?” Jack’s relief was apparent, and Ennis felt a cold tongue of anger flicker to life at his words. 

“Exhaustion is not something to take lightly, Jack. It’s a warning sign from your body that you need to change your lifestyle before something more serious happens to you. And it is something we are going to take care of together from now on.” Ennis saw a flicker of fear and then relief pass across Jack’s features at his words, so he bent down and kissed Jack deeply, letting him feel the result of the anxiety and stress that he had gone through today. 

“From now on, we are going to be partners in every sense of the word. I don’t ever want to go through this again, Jack. The world will wait for you, and we will conquer it together…slowly. You are more important to me than fame or fortune, because without you, I have nothing. Do you understand?” Ennis carefully lay next to Jack and pulled him close. 

Jack smiled and rested his head on Ennis’s shoulder. He knew he needed to make some serious changes in his life, and he knew that Ennis deserved nothing less than all the happiness he could give him. But more importantly he knew that Ennis Del Mar was his future. A future he wanted to start living today. 

“I understand, Ennis. I love you, too.” 


End file.
